Solar PV Power System Fits with Objective to Care for Creation – Adelaide Australia

Solar PV Power System ( Solar Thermal Magazine) – We see a lot of wineries, breweries, businesses and homes installing solar power systems of various sizes and technologies. It is not so often that you see a not-for-profit entity decide to go solar, save the co2 and reduce their energy bills. Here is a church in South Australia that did just that before the current government decided to kill the incentive programs in that country.

St Peter’s Cathedral is a considered a landmark building in Adelaide, attracting more than 50,000 visitors each year. Built in the 1870s, the King William Rd building is used by people, who travel from all over Adelaide to share in Cathedral life. The Cathedral is open to visitors each day, and holds more than 15 services each week.

The Dean of St Peter’s Cathedral, the Very Reverend Frank Nelson, suggested the church look at installing a solar energy system to reduce its electricity costs and to lessen its impact on the environment. This, he said, fitted with the Anglican Church’s stated objective to care for creation.

Project Summary

System Size

12.5kW

Solar Panel Capacity

250W

Daily Average System Output

51.75kWh

Inverters

ZEN Micro Solar Control Centres

System Monitoring

ZEN Energy Manager

How the System Works

The 50 solar panels are attached to the roof of the Cynthia Poulton Hall in two rows of 25 panels each. This allows the system to provide an even feed into multiple sub-boards. The state-of-the-art panels operate individually, with the system offering up to 10% more power yield for the Cathedral. The system’s technology also allows Cathedral staff to monitor the performance of the solar panels from anywhere in the world, via a mobile phone or tablet.

All the energy generated is powering the Cathedral’s hall and office, which makes up about half the Cathedral’s total electricity use.

About Gordon SmithGordon's expertise in the area of industrial energy efficiency and alternative energy. He is an experienced electrical engineer with a Masters degree in Alternative Energy technology. He is the co-founder of several renewable energy media sites including Solar Thermal Magazine.